Montana Supreme Court Settles Property Tax Dispute in Favor of State

The Montana Supreme Court has ruled against the majority of Montana counties in a dispute over property tax calculations. The court upheld the state's interpretation of property tax law, stating that counties are obligated to charge the full amount of school equalization property tax mills as directed by the Montana Department of Revenue. The ruling ends a months-long dispute between the state and the counties, which started after a spike in residential property values. The court's decision means that property tax collections statewide will not be reduced by about $80 million this year.